ALWAYS ON MY MIND
by keller12917
Summary: After years of a happy marriage, a couple face marital discord. Can a father and mentor's interference help rekindle the flames or will their love be lost forever? AU Steve and Jeannie pairing.


**A/N** **Thank you to Meixel for beta reading my work for me. It is deeply appreciated. **

**Thank you to Tanith2011 for summary suggestion.**

_Disclaimer: I make no profit off of anything related to "Streets of San Francisco" or the characters. I am not the creator of the series. _

**ALWAYS ON MY MIND**

(AU)

**Prologue: **

The time is six years after Steve and Jeannie's marriage. For the past few months trouble has been brewing for the normally loving couple. Steve has settled into a routine that, while unintentional, has left her feeling he is taking her and their four year old twins for granted.

Breakfast time usually finds him behind the newspaper while Jeannie tries talking to him about things that she and the twins are going to do that day or of other events in their lives. Normally Jeannie is not the type that would just sit and take something sitting down but this time she has pulled a "Steve Keller" and suffered in silence - i.e. kept her feelings bottled inside her until one day she finally does end up exploding in a way that makes them and Mike wonder if their marriage has a future.

**Jeannie: **

"Don't get me wrong I love the man - I really do! I have loved him for years before we even got together, but this time my anger and hurt took control of me. I can't understand what has happened to make him become this way with me and our kids.

For the past few months all he does is ignore us and anything we might try to say to him. Steve is not an uncaring person and I know how much he loves me and our kids but lately I wonder _is there somebody else?_

The almost final morning of our marriage I was trying to get more than a "yes, honey" or "that sounds nice" out of him. By the time the kids finished eating, I was ready to shove him and that paper down the toilet. I got the kids cleaned up and put them in their rooms so I could talk to their daddy alone.

When I got back he was still behind the paper but that was about to change! Grabbing it, I ripped it into shreds. That sure got his attention. He jumped up yelling and I yelled back telling him how he has ignored us the past few months and that I was fed up! I am not married to a newspaper, I am married to him!

Words were hurled between the two of us - some meant and some just hurled. You know how it is in the heat of an argument you sometimes say things you should not have. Things went from bad to worse with us, until he finally snapped he was leaving.

I told him 'fine, go' - but there was one thing I needed to know first: was there someone else?

I know Steve is not that type at all. He has never once cheated on me but I asked anyway. If looks could kill believe me, Steve might be a widower."

**Steve: **

"I could not believe she even asked if there was someone else! Never have I even wanted another woman. Jeannie is it for me - now and always, past, present and future. I told her so in no uncertain terms.

I still am not sure what caused her explosion. So I read the paper while we are at breakfast. I find it relaxing and it is really the only time I can read it with the caseload Mike and I have, especially since I give Jeannie and the twins so much time.

I snapped that I was leaving before I even realized what I was saying. Now there is no going back, I mean I do have my pride just as much as Jeannie has hers.

When I had finished packing a couple bags along with several suits for work, I wanted to see the twins before I left. What I saw when I went in to tell them I needed to leave for a little while broke my heart. I can't take it when Jeannie or the twins cry, and they both had been crying. There was no mistake. They had heard us fighting. I guess both of us being so angry got way louder than thought.

I held both of them giving them hugs and kisses, trying to calm them down. I promised I would come back and see them and their mom. I just had some things I needed to take care of but hopefully would not be gone long. Even at that point, I thought somehow we might get past this.

I wish this day had never happened..."

**Mike: **

"When Jeannie and the twins came to see me, there was no mistake they all had been crying. I put the twins in the kitchen with ice cream while I found out what was going on from Jeannie. She informed me she and Steve were separating and that he had moved out that day.

She told me the circumstances of their major knock down drag out fight this morning, and while I sympathized with her, I could see Steve's side too. Little did my daughter know I had a secret I had been keeping from her.

I felt confident those two would work this latest trouble out. I hope so anyway because I know these kids are as crazy in love as the day they stopped letting my 'no dating cops' rule scare them. Jeannie was angry and hurt but also deeply missed the only man she has ever really loved.

_Where are you, buddy boy? _

I have her okay to speak with Steve concerning this matter whenever he gets in touch and lets her know where he is staying. Despite their problems, he is still my best friend and partner, not to mention the only son I will ever have.

I know right now he will need someone to lean on just as much as my daughter does. I plan to go see him whenever we get word from him. I worry about him for many reasons but when he is highly upset, he tends to drink to escape the hurt he feels, and that is not good."

**Steve: **

"I had let Jeannie know where I was staying just in case she might need to get in touch with me concerning her or the twins. I should have known that Mike would show up just when I was tying one on. I guess I should have started later or not told Jeannie until the next day where I was.

I think the world of Mike Stone, I truly do. He is one man I deeply respect and love. He is the only real father I have or have had for many years. I wish at times, though, he would let me just deal with things my way instead of being there in my face to help me sort it out.

Here he comes - determined to save me and Jeannie - when all I want to do is drink and forget what happened, at least for a little while. Maybe tomorrow when I wake up it will all have been just a bad dream and I will be home with our kids and my wife, where I belong.

_Dream on, Steve."_

**Mike: **

"It was just as I suspected, when I got to where Steve was staying, I found him already half drunk. While I really wanted to wring his neck, I knew I could not do that. Instead, I needed to help him and Jeannie through this difficult time.

I try not to get in the middle of their problems, rare as they are. This time though I knew from personal experience what my two kids were both going through and soon I would share my secret with them.

When I saw the condition he was in, I grabbed hold of him, hauled him to the bathroom and shoved him in the shower, holding him firm under the water. My intentions were to sober him up at least a little bit before I took him out and poured coffee into him and possibly some food. _Hey, this method used to work when I was coming up so why not try it out on this generation too?_

After I felt he had enough, I threw a towel at him along with a strong lecture. He might be a husband and a father, but that does not stop me from giving him a lecture whenever I feel he needs one. He got into some dry clothes and we went to have a talk together. He needed to know I was not going to turn against him because of this situation.

Steve regretted not realizing he was taking Jeannie and the kids for granted. I told him I knew he did not mean to and that I was sure they both could work this out but to give both of them a little time.

I didn't tell him or Jeannie but I had a plan that would definitely get them together again if they did not make the move on their own in a few days. Hopefully, it would work, both of them are headstrong and prideful as can be...I can't imagine where they get it from."

**Jeannie: **

"When dad informed me he had spoken to Steve, I really wanted to know how he was but couldn't bring myself to ask. I guess pride is something that I have got from Dad. Funny that Steve isn't even his blood son, but he seems to have picked up a stronger dose than I did.

I knew from the look on Dad's face that Steve had been drinking. I wasn't surprised. While Steve wasn't a frequent drinker, there were quite a few times that he would drink when he was deeply upset.

I wish more than ever I had not held in my feelings so long and had broached the issue much sooner and in a much better way. If I had, this blowup would possibly never have happened. I honestly don't know how I let it go so long. Normally I speak up rather than stew - well, in most cases. This time, though, I did just like Steve and kept things bottled up until it just boiled over. I find myself hoping that Dad is right and that Steve and I will work this out. I have to admit though I am really scared."

**Mike: **

"From what little I've heard, there is no real communication other than brief words spoken when Steve goes to see the kids. Apparently, she does not stay in the room during the visit, so they have had no real chance to speak on a deeper level. I can see how badly this is hurting him. It is time for me to make plans to get those two together in one room.

Trickery, they say is another form of deception and all war is deception. Point being, I am willing to risk a war just so those two stubborn mules will sit down and talk before it is too late. I came up with something one day while eating breakfast and put my plan into effect by inviting Jeannie and the twins for Saturday lunch. Once she accepted, I put it to Steve to come eat lunch with me and the twins.

_No, I didn't tell him Jeannie was going to be there as well. _

Although both were more than a little uncomfortable, the twins helped in their own endearing way to convince them both to stay. Lunch was pretty quiet except for chatter from the twins and Steve and Jeannie only answering exact questions from me.

After dinner coffee gave me the chance to counsel them both, with the twins again stashed in kitchen so the three of us can talk, or at least them listen to me talk. It is hard to admit something that you have kept hidden for so many years, and when I finally released this long held secret there was no mistaken that both of them were very shocked."

**Jeannie: **

"I never knew Mom and Dad had this same problem as Steve and I were having. It totally astounded me to know Dad took Mom and me for granted too and that they came extremely close to divorce.

That news made me realize that Steve and I could work this out. We are not as close to divorce as Mom and Dad were. I heard Dad through a fog asking if I still love Steve? I tried to speak but all I could do was nod since there was a huge lump in my throat. Steve is having the same problem when Dad asks him if he still loves me. At first I just see him nod, but he finally gets some words out. What he says makes me cry at how sweet he is when he expresses his love for me.

Dad arranged to keep the twins so Steve and I could have time to talk. That night after we have talked most all day, we decided to take a break for a bit. I got a surprise when Steve turned on the radio to a soft classic rock station we both like and hear a dedication to me from Steve: Elvis' version of "Always On My Mind.""


End file.
